


FFXV Ladies Week

by treya_barton



Category: Final Fantasy XV
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-06-11
Updated: 2018-06-18
Packaged: 2019-05-21 00:17:00
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 8
Words: 10,712
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14904890
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/treya_barton/pseuds/treya_barton
Summary: These are my stories for FFXV Ladies Week June 11-17~  The prompts each day are:Day 1 // Prompt: Aranea before joining the Nif army. Character focus; Aulea & SylvaDay 2 // Prompt: Mythical creature AU. Character focus; Holly & JeanneDay 3 // Prompt: A young Lunafreya training to become oracle. Character focus; Monica & SaniaDay 4 // Prompt: Crowe’s life before coming to Insomnia. Character focus; Lunafreya & CameliaDay 5 // Prompt: Gentiana spends so much time on Eos, she forgets she isn’t human. Character focus: Crowe & CindyDay 6 // Cindy fixes Crowe’s motorcycle. Character focus; Aranea & IrisDay 7 // Iris struggles with PTSD and nightmares after escaping Insomnia. Character focus; Gentiana, Coctura, and StellaBonus day 8: Creator’s choice!





	1. Beginnings

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Day 1 Prompt is:
> 
> Day 1 // Prompt: Aranea before joining the Nif army. Character focus; Aulea & Sylva
> 
> I choose to write about Aranea :)

Aranea Highwind was the kind of kid that didn’t like bullies.  Not only did she not like them, but she wasn’t afraid of them either.  They knew not to mess with other kids on her turf, and each and every one of them had found out the hard way.  Aranea also never lost a fight.  She was a rough and tumble kind of girl, and she could take down older kids twice her size too.

That level of fearlessness eventually translates into the classroom as Aranea grows older.  When Aranea had just turned thirteen, she began to recognize that some of the lessons they were being taught in school were actually veiled propaganda and often not even true.  Thus, she began to question her teachers about it, often frustrating them and causing her to get detention on a near daily basis because she didn’t “respect Niflheim’s authority.” 

Aranea didn’t understand – she knew she wasn’t doing anything wrong.  Wasn’t it right to question things when it wasn’t the truth?  Didn’t she have a responsibility to her classmates and to her education to get the facts right and to truly learn?  Her parents didn’t think so, and they often scolded her when she came home late after yet another detention.  ‘Where is your loyalty?’ they wanted to know.  ‘You’re a citizen of Niflheim – you need to follow the rules.  Don’t you know how you’re disrespecting the family?’

Aranea would sometimes get suspended too, only that was because she still didn’t like bullies.  She wasn’t afraid to show them a lesson, and it often led to the bully tattling on her, mad that they lost a fight.  Especially if it was a boy.  They really didn’t like that.  Aranea didn’t care though.  When she was suspended she didn’t have to deal with the propaganda and just got to stay at home alone.  Her parents were always working during the day so she didn’t have to deal with their nagging either. 

She would often wander the outskirts of the city, taking in the more disheveled areas and wondering if the Empire was so grand, why were some parts of Gralea so shabby?  She even wandered into the outskirts where it started getting wild once or twice, but that was dangerous because beasts lurked there and she didn’t want to stay out too late and possibly encounter a daemon.  Aranea was tough, but she didn’t know how to fight them yet.

Once Aranea graduated high school, she cut off ties with her family who continued to blindly follow the Empire and decided to make it on her own, taking on odd jobs around the city.  She eventually started hanging around a group of hunters who teach her how to use actual weapons so she can eventually venture out of Gralea and join them on hunts as well.  Aranea as a young adult finally finds _freedom_ ; she no longer has to blindly follow the Empire like her family and can make her own choices about what’s right or wrong.  She’s a natural, especially at the lance, and picks up techniques quickly.  She likes going on hunts, because she finally gets to help out people personally just like when she would stand up for those being bullied as a kid.

As she takes on hunts, she begins to gain a reputation as a fierce fighter.  More and more people go to her for help, and soon she’s travelling throughout Niflheim’s territory dispatching beasts and daemons in order to help those unable to afford to live in the city.  Ironically, her reputation becomes so widespread that she catches the attention of the Empire.  It doesn’t take long until they start to solicit her for help.  While she distrusts the Empire, Niflheim is still her country and she is still loyal to the idea of it.  Thus, she occasionally agrees to act on their behalf as a mercenary when the job appeals to her.  She likes the autonomy to pick and choose so she can still have control over doing the right thing.

Eventually, however, she gets an outright offer for a position in the military – as a Commodore.  The military is hard-pressed for someone of her physical prowess and natural aptitude for command; Aranea has become a leader of sorts for the hunters by this point who trust her steadfast approach and judgement.  She’s also smart, even if she didn’t get an education beyond high school, and very practical.  The hunters encourage her to take on the job, sure that she can do even greater things to help people within the military, and due to their belief that she deserved it. 

Aranea is hesitant at first – she really doesn’t like the idea of losing her autonomy and even more than that she doesn’t like the new Magitek troops that the military had been employing lately.  She had encountered them on the field several times at this point, especially on the jobs she took on for the military, and something about them unsettled her.  So, she let the Empire know she had one stipulation in place if they wanted her to become Commodore and lead a troop; her unit would only be composed of actual humans.  She would not be in command of Magitek since she found them so distasteful.  After some short deliberation they agreed and placed her in command of an airship brigade that already consisted of human soldiers.  They soon grew to love their new Commodore – how fearless she was and how fair as a leader – and it didn’t take long for Aranea to gain their steadfast loyalty.

Aranea was unsure about losing her autonomy, but she told herself that within the military she would be able to see for herself exactly what the Empire was up to and hopefully change from within anything she didn’t like.  Thus, she was always hypervigilant and inquisitive, even if she had learned from childhood to be discreet about it and not always outwardly rebellious.  Sure, she wasn’t afraid to talk back or show sarcasm to her more brainwashed peers, but she ensured it was always done in a way that she was still viewed as loyal so they wouldn’t suspect her other intentions.

Her family, of course, was overjoyed once they found out she had joined the military and tried to reach out to her in order to exploit their connection.  Aranea refused contact, for after she had left and joined the hunters they hadn’t reached out for her once or expressed worry about her whereabouts.  She directly cut off ties with this time, even if a small piece of her was saddened by it.  She did have some happy memories with them from childhood, back before the Emperor had started changing and demanding loyalty from his citizens.  She had remembered a time where her parents prioritized her and their family before they became obsessed with their work and appearing to be model citizens. 

She soon began to realize that all these changes seemed to be stemming from one man – Ardyn Izunia, the Chancellor.  Any time she was within his vicinity and saw him speak or interact with anyone, she immediately got the same uneasy feeling the Magitek gave her.  Only to find out he was the one who came up with the idea in the first place.  She didn’t trust the man whatsoever or how he manipulated everyone around him with his cunning and charm.  She could recognize the sneer under his façade and could tell that his compliments were always backhanded. 

Thus, when this treaty with Insomnia – which was his idea – was announced, Aranea expected the worst.  Things had already been getting bad in Gralea with people disappearing and increased daemonic activity in the area, and she just knew that this supposed treaty was going to be worse.  Especially when she began hearing whispers in the military ranks that the treaty was just a cover for an invasion.  War was the last thing Niflheim needed, and she couldn’t understand how the war hungry youths who craved glory on the battlefield couldn’t understand that. 

There was one thing Aranea did know though.  If it came to war, she would find a way to carve her own path and only fight when she felt it was right.  No matter what, she would get her autonomy back.


	2. A Realm Reborn

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> My day 2 prompt for Ladies Week!
> 
> Day 2 // Prompt: Mythical creature AU. Character focus; Holly & Jeanne
> 
> So I kind of created FFXIV characters for them instead of straight Mythical Creatures? I only ever played the demo but it was fun when I did play and I had fun thinking about what character race/class they would all choose :)

Iris logged onto her game after school since she had some free time before her brother would return home and start nagging her to do homework.  The good thing about her dad being shield to the king is he was often at work late helping Regis navigate the world of politics, because he was even pushier than her brother.  Clarus wanted his little girl to do well and make the Amicitia family proud, and while Iris definitely strove to do so she knew she could afford some free time too.  Gladiolus’s main focus right now was on training Noctis while taking supplementary classes to prepare him for his role as shield, and since Ignis tended to take care of Noctis in the evening Gladiolus was usually free to come home and check on her.  He wasn’t as strict as Clarus, for he understood what it was like being Iris’s age, but as a result she also couldn’t get anything by him either because he had already done it himself.

Iris had started playing the game after overhearing Noctis and his new friend Prompto talking about it, and she had asked them about it curiously after hearing it mentioned so many times.  Noctis was often awkward around Iris, careful in how he treated her because she was Gladio’s sister, and she suspected aware of her slight crush on him which made things worse.  Thus, he had seemed unsure how to respond when she asked, while his carefree friend easily picked up his slack and excitedly explained the game mechanics to her.  To her delight, he even took it a step further and offered to help her get set up under the free trial so she could get a feel for it.  Thus, they headed to the Amicitia household, and Iris brought her laptop down to the living room so they could get set up.  Once she had downloaded the game, Prompto helped her through the character selection and described each race and city starting point to her. 

Prompto himself played as a Hyur, deciding that the common race matched his commoner background which caused an eyeroll from Noctis, and he choose to play as the machinist class.  His name in the game was Quicksilver and he also was a blacksmith so he could make his own guns.  Noctis played as a Miqo’te since he liked cats so much, and he was a summoner since he had started as an arcanist after finding out they could summon carbuncle.  Noctis spent most of his free time doing his gathering class which was fishing, however, and his character went by the name of Fisher_King to everyone’s amusement.  Iris was excited to see Noctis’s cat eared character and figured he was probably adorable.  To her surprise even Gladio and Ignis apparently played the game, and the four of them would often go on quests together.  Gladiolus played as a Roegadyn warrior named Henruit after Gladio’s favorite author, although he was currently working on also becoming a samurai with the new expansion.  He mainly played for the fighting and didn’t really do as many of the gathering or crafting classes as the others.  That was Ignis’s forte.  Ignis was an Elezen named Specs and while he was both a rogue and a conjuror working on becoming a white mage, he mainly played for the culinarian class and was also a pretty decent botanist so he could gather ingredients for his dishes.

Once Iris heard that her brother was a Roegadyn, however, she immediately decided she wanted to be a Roe too, which surprised Prompto.  He figured she’d probably want to be a Lalafell or a Miqo’te like Noctis.  Iris also picked the Marauder class, declaring she was going to be even better than her brother, and had soon picked up the weaver, leatherworker, and goldsmith classes so she could design clothes for her character.  When she first began playing, she would often tag along with her brother and his friends on quests as they helped her learn how to play the game, but while Prompto especially was very accommodating and excited about her playing, she didn’t want to feel like a burden on them and soon found new friends to play with.  She stumbled upon a group of lady players who were pretty amazing and needed a tank, and the rest was history.  Iris went by MooglePrincess online, and it wasn’t long before Gladio had to pay for her subscription too and she began to play the game on a regular basis.

Her new group included a Miquo’te white mage named Shivas_Oracle who saved the party on many occasions and was also an alchemist on the side.  Iris would often go to Shivas_Oracle for advice for she was incredibly patient with her and very helpful.  There was also a cheerful and friendly Lalafell named MechGoddess who was a machinist but really enjoyed tinkering in the blacksmith class.  Iris was always amazed by the incredible things MechGoddess came up with.  She was often pretty busy though and only came on occasionally in the evening.  They also had a black mage Au Ra named BombshellGlaive that cracked Iris up with her running commentary during her battles.  She had a sharp wit and dark humor and didn’t take crap from anybody.  She got along well with the member that Iris looked up to the most – Whirlwind – a Dragoon class Elezen that just exuded confidence and was even more sarcastic.  Iris wanted to be as strong as Whirlwind was and would often try to mimic her style until Whirlwind sent her a direct message reminding her that she was a tank and had her own strengths to bring to the team.  Iris had become kind of a mascot to the other four, and they were very protective of their MooglePrincess and wanted her to grow into her own character.

Whirlwind and Bombshell could often be found hanging out in one of the taverns in the towns whenever they weren’t doing solo quests or on a group quest.  They seemed to enjoy just chatting with one another in the group chat while the others worked on their crafting.  Iris decided she would take time to do that today, and after dropping a quick hello in their group chat she headed off to the weaver guild to pick up a new quest.  Shivas_Oracle also happened to be online and welcomed her, but Iris could tell she was busy crafting potions for alchemy.  The others were all showing offline, so Iris figured they were all probably working.  Iris often didn’t see the others online when she came on after school, and she suspected they were all probably adults and appreciated that they didn’t seem to mind the fact she was younger than them.  They often were more active later in the evening when she had to get off to do schoolwork or on the weekends which is when they would usually do a quest as a group. 

They each had their own personal backstory in the game as well, and they roleplayed it out when interacting with each other.  Iris had kept with the idea that she was a Roe trying to prove herself to her brother and father as a Marauder, since her brother was too.  She had specifically chosen to be a Hellsguard Roegadyn once she read that the second born were often sent forth to see the world, definitely identifying with that since as the second born she didn’t get the same opportunity Gladiolus did to become Noctis’s shield.  So, every time she learned a new skill or gained a rank she would list it as just another way she was catching up to her brother.  Gladio took it in stride and when he was active at the same time she was he would often tease her saying she had a lot more work to do in order to catch up to him.

Shivas_Oracle played as a Seekers of the Sun Miqo’te which Iris found funny based on her screenname leaning more to her being a Keepers of the Moon type.  She insisted that her character was just a common Miqo’te who wanted to help others and felt the best way to do that was by becoming a healer.  Iris could tell by the way that Shivas_Oracle typed she was probably actually of the noble class, because it was a lot more proper than the rest of the crew and reminded her of Ignis or Noctis when he was in Prince mode, but she could understand wanting to use the game to escape reality.  She also had certain expectations placed upon her as an Amicitia and knew the pressures that Noctis felt as the future king.

MechGoddess, meanwhile, was a plainsfolk Lala whose main goal was to make a name for herself with her inventions.  The way she typed in the group chat was the complete opposite of Oracle, and they could tell that she truly came from a more common background with her charming phrases and language.  She loved tinkering and finding new materials to work with and had recently picked up on the mining class in order to get those materials more easily.  She often had male players trying to catch her attention, but she would simply ignore them because she was too busy focusing on her projects.  Iris had a few players bother her when she first started too, but between her brother and the other guys and all her female friends, it never lasted very long.

BombshellGlaive played as a Xaela Au Ra who travelled to the cities after her clan was killed by a rival clan.  She had decided to go into magic so no one would be able to threaten her again.  Iris had a feeling that part of her backstory was kind of personal to Bombshell, especially due to her screenname.  Iris knew that a lot of the Kingsglaive came from villages and commonwealths of Lucis that had been caught up in skirmishes between Lucis and Niflheim and had lost their families in the process.  She never asked Bombshell directly though, for she felt that was a very personal question.  Whirlwind, meanwhile, just played as a mercenary Duskwight Elezen who never let anyone tell her what to do.  Her favorite thing to do was to mess with trolls and to undermine authority whenever she could.  She especially seemed to enjoy teasing Iris’s brother and his friends when they happened to be around since Iris had introduced them shortly after joining her new party.

Iris really enjoyed playing with her new friends and found that they all worked as a great team together.  Whirlwind acted as a kind of leader during their quests, with Shivas_Oracle helping her and BombshellGlaive come up with the strategy.  Bombshell and Whirlwind could keep them all entertained with their banter during the fight, while Oracle managed to keep them alive with her healing and potions.  Iris got to act as a shield as the tank which she loved, while MechGoddess picked off monsters that wandered into the fight with her sharpshooting abilities.  She was also pretty entertaining and would add commentary as they went too.  Whirlwind and Bombshell were the most impressive though, with Whirlwind’s quick skills and twirling attacks and Bombshell’s heavy damage through her magic.  Iris was amazed with their skills that they let her into the group, especially since she had been low level when they did, but they all seemed to adore her cheerfulness and the fierceness that would come out when she fought.  Iris smiled to herself as she completed her crafting quest, leaning back into her chair and stretching.  This was certainly a fun game and she was glad to have made new friends, and she couldn’t wait until the weekend when they would start up a new quest together.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In case you couldn't figure it out:
> 
> Iris - MooglePrincess - Hellsguard Roegadyn who is training in the marauder class in order to show her worth to her father and brother
> 
> Lunafreya - Shivas_Oracle - a Miqo’te who comes from the Seekers of the Sun and is a White Mage with a lot of natural talent
> 
> Cindy - MechGoddess - a plainsfolk Lalafell who is a well-known blacksmith and inventor
> 
> Crowe - BombshellGlaive - a Xaela Au Ra who after becoming an orphan when another clan attacked her clan left for Ul’dah in order to train as a Thaumaturge since she showed an affinity for magic.
> 
> Aranea - Whirlwind - a Duskwight Elezen who has joined the lancer class and travels around as a mercenary


	3. The Sylleblossom Child

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Day 3 of Ladies Week~ The prompt:
> 
> Day 3 // Prompt: A young Lunafreya training to become oracle. Character focus; Monica & Sania
> 
> So I focused on Lunafreya's childhood and what it was like to grow into her role as Oracle. And how she basically grew into the resolute young woman she is in the game.

Lunafreya was a happy child.  She grew up playing in the Sylleblossom fields with her older brother Ravus, making up adventures that he begrudgingly played along with, even though his fond expression betrayed his true feelings.  He would often give her piggyback rides, which were her favorite, and allowed her to make both of them flower crowns with the beautiful blue flowers.  She would also play with Umbra and Pryna, her two puppies that were messengers of the Oracle, and would one day be her messengers when she took over from her mother, Queen Sylva Via Fleuret of Tenebrea and Oracle to Eos.  While Lunafreya was destined to take her mother’s place as Oracle, showing a natural aptitude for the magic at a young age, her brother was training to take over as king ofTenebrea, and was already sitting in on council meetings in order to learn how to one day run them like their mother.

Lunafreya also got along well with her mother’s friend Gentiana, a messenger for the Astrals.  Luna could sense that there was another, hidden secret to Gentiana, but wasn’t yet strong enough in her magic to figure out what that secret was.  She enjoyed spending time with the enigmatic woman, however, and often brought the usually serene woman joy as she told her stories about her adventures with her brother.  The young girl was sweet and kind, and everyone in the household adored her and patiently adhered to her whims, no matter how involved they might be.  One day she corralled several of them to help her throw a play for her mother, where she played the dashing princess who had to save her brother from a villainous sorcerer.  Her mother loved the play, and the staff played along without complaint out of adoration for the young lady.  Ravus even went along half-heartedly, even if he rolled his eyes when he realized he was the damsel in distress.

What Lunafreya really loved, however, was her lessons with her mother on becoming the Oracle.  While Ravus had a large burden, having to take on the responsibility of caring for the people of Tenebrea, what Lunafreya loved about being Oracle is she had to care about all the people of Eos.  She was incredibly kind and selfless and cared about people to begin with, so the idea of being someone who looked out for the people and acted as a voice for their interests with the Astrals appealed to her.  She loved hearing stories about the Astrals by her mother, especially identifying with Shiva who was the goddess of ice and the Astral that cared about people the most.  She knew that, even if the Imperials had somehow killed Shiva, she was still out there somewhere watching over everyone. 

Her mother was slowly introducing her to the ability to heal the starscourge, an ability that had the people of Eos treating her with reverence and gave Tenebrea political immunity when it came to the tensions between Niflheim and Lucis, their neighboring kingdoms.  However, worry was starting to grow within Tenebrea that their immunity was waning as Niflheim took over more and more surrounding territories, and Ravus began wishing he could shoulder some of his mother’s burden as more of those worries crept up in the meetings he sat in on.  Both Sylva and Ravus tried to protect Lunafreya from such fears, since she was still young and impressionable, but unfortunately the young girl was far too intuitive and it wasn’t long until she began to catch on.  She began to double her efforts in finding ways to bring joy to her loved one’s lives in return, hoping that at least in some small ways she could reduce their worry, even if only for a small while.

Then, one day, she was surprised by the arrival of the King of Lucis with his son, a small boy with dark hair and a grievous injury.  The young princess with platinum blonde hair and a heart of gold would sneak in the doorway, watching with wide eyes as her mother tried to combat the starscourge in the young prince’s wound, and his father tried to heal the terrible injury with his family magic.  She would stand there until Ravus or one of the maids found her and pulled her away again.  To her relief, after several days the young prince stabilized, although he remained in a coma as he continued to combat the aftereffects of the disease.  Lunafreya would often sit with him during this time, reading him stories as he slept and praying to the Astrals that he would one day wake.  Gentiana often stood in the room with her during these visits, watching over the prince with her lidded eyes and giving Luna strength to continue to provide support.

To her delight, one day the young boy finally woke up, greeting her with dark blue eyes that curiously peered into her gray blue ones.  “Where you the one who read to me while I was asleep?” he asked curiously once he was well enough to sit up.

“You knew?” Lunafreya asked, a delighted smile on her face.  Noctis nodded in reply, a shy child after his traumatic experience, and Luna’s smile warmed.

She became fast friends with Noctis, helping him through his recovery by sharing stories with him and pushing him in his wheelchair out in the gardens so he could get some sun until he could learn how to walk again.  During this time she continued to take on her Oracle lessons with her mother, who had grown increasingly worried as of late and would often have hushed meetings with King Regis where not even Ravus was allowed to attend.  Her mother began to look increasingly tired, and Lunafreya could tell that her dual role as Oracle and Queen was becoming a burden on her.  She wished she could grow up faster to help relieve some of that burden by taking on more responsibility as the Oracle.

Then one day Lunafreya’s life changed forever when Niflheim attacked, taking her mother away for good and ushering in dark days for Tenebrae as it was invaded and taken over by the Empire.  King Regis fled with his son during the attack, trying to bring Lunafreya with him who hesitated and choose to stay back with her brother and her people instead.  Regis had looked sick at her choice, hoping to at least save the daughter of his good friend, but Lunafreya had been firm and wouldn’t change her mind.  “Someone has to look out for my brother,” she insisted, and she wanted to be with her people in their time of trouble.

Noctis had stared at her with scared eyes as Regis and his Crownsguard barely escaped, reaching out for her and confused as to why she wasn’t coming with them.  Lunafreya gave him a sad smile as she allowed the Magitek soldiers to surround her, standing serenely and showing no fear even though she was still a young girl who had just lost her mother and her country.  She would grieve for them in private later, but she knew for now she needed to show a strong face and not allow the Empire to think they could control her.

She held none of the bitterness for the Lucis Caelums that her brother adopted, knowing that what happened wasn’t their fault and that King Regis blamed himself for not being able to do more.  She also knew that her brother used it as a coping mechanism since there wasn’t anything he could do as well and it frustrated him.  She also finally learned Gentiana’s true nature as a vessel for the Astral Shiva, feeling joy when she realized she was right and that Shiva was still watching over Eos. 

Gentiana took over her training as Oracle in her mother’s absence, for Lunafreya was now thrown into the role after her mother’s murder during the invasion.  She took on the position with nerves of steel, choosing to continue her mother’s work in healing the people and not letting Niflheim dictate where she went.  It caused a lot of anxiety for her brother, who desperately was focused on not losing her after losing everything else, and she pitied him as he tried his best to keep afloat in the politics of Niflheim and keep some protections for their small country.  Lunafreya also learned of the Prince of Lucis’s fate, and although it saddened her greatly, she began to form plans to ensure that he would be able to fulfill his destiny and save Eos from eternal night.  She would support the young prince in anyway she could, whether it be from the letters they exchanged via Umbra or the nudge she made through Pryna to ensure Noctis made a friend through his kind classmate Prompto.  Lunafreya was hell bent on saving the world through whatever means necessary, and wouldn’t let anyone, not even the Empire, stand in her way.


	4. To Lose and Gain Hearth and Home

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Day 4 of Ladies Week! The prompts today are: Crowe’s life before coming to Insomnia. Character focus; Lunafreya & Camelia. I choose to write about Crowe - I haven't actually watched Kingsglaive yet (I really need to) so this is based on how I've read her in other stories and what I looked up about her background.

Crowe’s earliest memories were incredibly happy, even if as an adult she acknowledged it had been a hard, yet simple life.  Her parents had a homestead near a small village on the outskirts of Lucis, and due to their isolation and distance from any large city, their lives were tough since they had to work hard to survive out there.  There were beasts to contend with during the day, daemons lurking outside of the anti-daemon lights at night (Crowe and the other children were not allowed outside once the sun went down due to the dangers), and every day was centered around growing food and raising livestock to live off of.  However, even though it was a struggle, her parents were kind, and she vaguely remembered feeling loved and taken care of.

That is, until Niflheim invaded, raiding the village with the earliest versions of their Magitek units, clumsier but effective enough against untrained villagers, killing her parents as they protected her in desperation.  She ended up travelling with a group of survivors, eventually meeting up with a larger group of refugees desperately traveling throughout Lucis during the day and trying to find Havens to hide out in at night to avoid being picked off by daemons.  In the end, they made their way to the central part of Lucis, stopping in small towns until the townspeople grew tired of hosting them and pushed them away until they reached the bigger cities.  One day, Crowe found her way to the outskirts of Insomnia, not really remembering how she had gotten there.

At this point, there were too many refugees and due to the conflicts with Niflheim, not enough aid.  So, Crowe struggled in the slums without any guidance, her parents a fading memory for the young girl who had to now fend for herself.  Some days she would have to steal to survive, not even old enough to comprehend that it was frowned upon or something she should feel bad about.  Crowe did it in a matter of fact way, her only thoughts on how to survive, and she soon began to help children younger than her that were struggling even worse than she was.  This responsibility mixed with her first-hand experience of extreme poverty caused Crowe to grow into a straightforward young woman with a low tolerance for bullshit.  She knew from experience that the only person you could really trust was yourself, and that she had to be strong enough to survive. 

Yet, although she was hardened by experience, she still kept a soft spot for those she grew to befriend or take care of, for she remembered how caring her parents had been despite their struggle, or the rare times a stranger had given her food or other necessities for survival on her way to Insomnia.  It wasn’t that everyone was coldhearted, just that most of them were also struggling which made it hard to reach out to others.  Eventually, Crowe began to hear of a new force, mostly consisting of refugees who had their homes taken by Niflheim, called the Kingsglaive.  They were selected due to their natural aptitude for magic and given access to King Regis’s powers in order to help fight back against Niflheim as they continued their invasion of Lucian territories.  This not only allowed refugees a way of life outside of the slums, but also a way to get revenge for what had happened to their families and homes. 

The idea of joining the Kingsglaive really appeared to Crowe, even if some of the refugees denounced it as a way to get rid of the “refugee problem” by getting them all killed.  She wanted a way to defend herself and get her revenge for her childhood and family being taken away, and she jumped on the first opportunity she got.  She soon tested for her magic ability, showing a high aptitude for it and joining with ease. 

As she began training, she eventually fell in with some refugees from Galahd who had moved to the Crown City after years of being part of the resistance movement around their home.  Nyx and Libertus where childhood friends whose had also lost hearth and home but had respect for King Regis after he had stepped in to save Nyx during his time in the resistance.  In due time, the three of them grew close like a family as they trained together and eventually became full-fledged members of the Glaive.  Nyx quickly proved to have a natural aptitude for the magic as well, and he grew to pick up the moniker as “hero” since he was always quick to save everyone he could in his unit.  Libertus was the cheerful moodmaker of the trio, ensuring they all stayed well fed and was strong in his own right, even if warping often made him feel queasy.  And Crowe was glorious on the battlefield with her gift for elemental magic, especially when it came to handling fire.  Libertus fondly referred to Crowe as his sister, and although she pretended to grow tired of hearing it all the time, she inwardly agreed that it finally seemed like she had her own misfit family again.  And she would do anything within her power to protect it.


	5. The Astral's Messenger

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Day 5 of Ladies Week! The prompt choices are: Gentiana spends so much time on Eos, she forgets she isn’t human. Character focus: Crowe & Cindy. I choose to write about Gentiana~

Shiva had always been the odd one out amongst the Astrals.  The others were always more worried about internal conflicts and petty arguments, or upholding universal laws and truths, while Shiva had been more interested in the people they governed over.  She had made a habit of taking on a human form throughout the years of watching the people of Eos struggle, and it was this ability that saved her on the day that humanity betrayed her and attacked her in her own icy domain.  Shiva did not blame Niflheim, for she knew that the Accursed had been manipulating them for years by now and that Ifrit also appeared to be involved; the Astral of fire had always been bitter toward the others and had taken to the Accursed’s vengeance with glee.

Instead, she adopted her human disguise of Gentiana, a dark haired mysterious woman who could speak as messenger for the Astrals, and she made her way to the Oracle to provide aide, realizing that Eos was going to need it in the darkening days.  She allowed Niflheim to celebrate their false victory and had Shiva disappear, much to the other Astral’s confusion who couldn’t understand what she was doing or why she would want to live with the very humans who had betrayed her.  Shiva, meanwhile, wanted to understand the people of Eos’s pain and why they felt the need to rebel against the Astrals.  And she knew the best person to communicate those fears was their Oracle, Sylva Via Fleuret. 

Sylva was the only one who knew Getiana’s true identity, and she kept the knowledge close to heart.  She treated Gentiana like an advisor and a friend, and over time she began to grow respect for the young Oracle and Queen.  Sylva was a strong, intelligent woman with a quick wit and a compassionate heart.  She was old friends with Regis, the King of Lucis, another line favored by the Astrals, and the two of them kept a private correspondence even as Niflheim slowly expanded its territory.  Sylva would often surprise Gentiana with her views on the other Astrals and even occasionally herself; she was not afraid to speak her mind and provide her opinion, refusing to be a simple mouthpiece for them.  Leviathan found her amusing, admiring her strong will, while the other Astrals would sometimes grumble over her attitude.  She was never rude, however, and always spoke politely even when firm, and they grew to respect the woman over time.

Eventually Sylva fell in love and married, taking on a prince consort and eventually giving birth to two children.  The first child, Ravus, was more serious and quiet.  Even as a young boy, he seemed well aware of his future as king and the possible next Oracle, until his younger sister was born.  With Lunafreya’s birth, a new side of Ravus appeared, one that was loving and patient with the little girl who he adored.  Lunafreya was a happy child who was kind to everyone and loved by everyone in return, and she showed a natural aptitude for the magic of the Oracle, soon becoming next in line for that role.  Tragedy struck the happy family when not long after Lunafreya was born, their father the prince consort died mysteriously, plunging Tenebrea into a mourning period.  In private, Sylva admitted to Gentiana that she believed it was Niflheim, although she could never say such a thing publicly and risk war on her tiny country.  There was no way Tenebrea would stand a chance.

It broke Gentiana’s heart to see Sylva in such pain, especially since she had to hide it from her people and could only mourn in private.  She also wanted to appear strong for her children, so she could be there for them in their own loss. Ravus felt the loss of his father strongly, and he struggled to take on the role for Lunafreya, feeling that she shouldn’t have to miss out on having such a figure in her life.  Meanwhile, Lunafreya was still too young to understand what had happened, but she did sense the sadness in everyone around her and did her best to cheer them up in anyway she could. 

Gentiana grew fond of both children, watching them grow up to care strongly for each other, and she soon wished she could protect them from the dangers she sensed coming ahead.  Sylva spoke of it often, discussing troubling news from her correspondences with Regis and the invasions of territories near Tenebrea.  She worried for her people and for her friend, who was struggling with the loss of his father and with the burden of the Ring of Lucii.  Sylva also struggled with her own burden as Oracle, for the use of the Oracle’s magic had a similar draining affect that the Crystal had on the Lucis Caelums.  Gentiana hated to see the Oracle age prematurely, but she knew that it was Sylva’s decision to make and that with her great heart she wanted to do everything she could to help the citizens of Eos.  And Gentiana also knew that without the Oracle’s power, darkness would usher onto the land at an accelerated rate.

One day, Regis arrived at the palace with his young son, the future King of Light.  Queen Sylva had helped save Prince Noctis, and King Regis had brought him to her in order to heal the starscourge that was racking his body.  The moment Gentiana lay eyes on the small boy, destined to sacrifice himself to bring light back to the land, she began to feel pity.  The Astrals had chosen him arbitrarily, just a cog in their well-oiled machine of destiny, and he would have to pay the price for it without choice.  She felt even worse as she watched sweet Lunafreya befriend the young boy as he began to heal, and the spark of friendship that ensued.  Once the princess and future Oracle took on her role, she would be the one leading Noctis to his destiny, and Gentiana’s heart went out to her for it.  She began to internally question the choices she and the other Oracles had made now that she was meeting the intended people face to face.

Then, tragedy struck, and Regis and Noctis fled as Tenebrea was invaded, leaving the country without a Queen and Eos without an Oracle.  Gentiana had to watch in silence as Ravus turned into a bitter young man, blaming Regis for the loss of his country and mother and his own inability to do anything about it.  She grieved for the young man who had once been so sweet and thoughtful and now grew resentful and angry.  Lunafreya had to hide her pain in order to appear strong at a young age, knowing that she had a responsibility to the people of Eos to take on her mother’s mantle as Oracle.  With a heavy heart, Gentiana revealed herself to Lunafreya, revealing her secret identity once more although she found herself growing distant from her roots as the Astral Shiva, and continuing Lunafreya’s training to become Oracle.

The training was difficult for Lunafreya.  Although she was a strong young lady, she was taking on the role much earlier than any had before her, and the drain on her magic was difficult.  Lunafreya was often weak and tired, which upset Ravus even more who begged her to take a break from her duties and heal.  The young girl was stubborn, however, and would not be dissuaded from the task at hand.  That is, until Gentiana finally had to reveal to her Noctis’s fate, which caused even the headstrong girl to hesitate.  She had grown fond of Noctis, and it obviously upset her that she was the one to help usher him to his fate.  This in turn pained Gentiana, who had taken to treating Ravus and Lunafreya like her own children since she had watched them both grow up over the years.  She already hated to see the young Oracle so drained all the time, so seeing how upset she was at Noctis’s fate broke her heart. 

However, Lunafreya had already started to notice how the days were slowly growing shorter, even in the summer, and how at night the daemons were slowly growing stronger.  She eventually took on her full burden as an Oracle, almost treating her weariness as penance for the fate that would eventually befall her dear friend.  Gentiana watched on as she always did, providing Lunafreya support where she could, but unable to do anything to assuage her sadness.

Eventually Lucis fell with the invasion of Insomnia, and the world erupted into chaos.  Lunafreya then began to push herself to her breaking point, healing people desperately in order to keep back the darkness and growing starscourge, and travelling to make contracts with the other Astrals on Noctis’s behalf.  She continued to guide the young man through her messages via Umbra, and she tried to support him as best she could as she prepared him for his role to banish the darkness forever.  Then, the fateful meeting at Altissia occurred, and Gentiana’s heart was finally broken in half.  Lunafreya, who was already operating past her breaking point, was slowly dying with the strain it placed upon her body, which was breaking her brother’s heart along with the messenger’s.  And although she stood strong against the rage of Leviathan who had once been impressed by her mother Sylva, she was eventually killed by the Accursed, who did it out of spite to the Astrals and Gentiana suspected herself especially.  Ardyn had always treated Shiva’s preference for the people of Eos with mocking scorn, especially when she hadn’t refrained from kicking him out once he had become tainted by the starscourge he had taken on to heal those very people.

With the loss of Lunafreya, the person Gentiana had cared about the most, and the young King of Lucis almost to the point of taking on his fate, Gentiana finally decided it was time to return to her Astral form.  Her now human heart could no longer take the pain, and she didn’t want to watch as Ravus self-destructed and Noctis sacrificed his life.  It was much easier to look on from afar as Shiva, coming to his call when he needed her but allowing herself to close her heart from the pain as she protectively encased it in ice.  Shiva would once again take on her duty as Astral, even if she wished she could change the fates of those she had cherished during her time on Eos. **  
**


	6. The Mage and the Mechanic

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Day 6 of Ladies Week :D The prompt choices are: Cindy fixes Crowe’s motorcycle. Character focus; Aranea & Iris. I decided to write about Cindy and Crowe~

Crowe was travelling around in Leide, the region right outside of Insomnia known for its rough, desert terrain, when she began to experience issues with her bike which she suspected was due to the sand and the dry heat.  Luckily, it happened close to the outskirts of the first small town outside of Insomnia, and she knew that Hammerhead was supposed to have a decent repair shop, vaguely remembering that the mechanic used to work for the royal family in the Crown City.  She couldn’t imagine why anyone from Insomnia would move out into the desert, especially one with ties to the royal family, but figured everyone had their own story at this point and it wasn’t like she had room to pry.  The brunette wiped her sweaty bangs away from her face, cursing that even with her hair pulled up like usual it was still too hot and heavy on her head.

‘Our uniform really is not suited for the desert,’ she inwardly complained as she pushed her bike toward the repair shop, glad that at least it decided to act up relatively close by so she wouldn’t have to walk too far.  Black leather and desert really didn’t get along, and she found herself wishing the royal family of Lucis had picked different colors to represent them based on where their Crown City was located.  However, she couldn’t deny that on a normal day she did look pretty badass in it and figured she’d always have that to fall back on.

She was surprised when she finally reached the garage to see a young woman with curly blonde hair tinkering on one of the cars, for she had been expecting to see an older man based on what little she knew about the garage.  “Hey, I could use some help,” she called, and the young woman looked up, smiling brightly at her with warm green eyes.

“Howdy!  How can I help you?” she asked, wiping sweat off her face with a towel she had draped over her shoulder and walking over to grip Crowe’s hand in a firm handshake.  Although her clothes seemed a bit skimpy for a mechanic, Crowe supposed she couldn’t blame her in this heat and couldn’t help but respect a woman working in what was usually considered to be a man’s job.  Crowe sometimes had to deal with idiots in her own job where there were at least a few more women, so she could only imagine what Cindy had to endure out here on her own.

“My bike decided to break down not far from town so I was hoping you could fix it,” Crowe said, and Cindy narrowed her eyes before doing a quick inspection of the bike.

“Yup, I see your problem and can have her fixed up in no time,” Cindy replied after her quick appraisal.  “I don’t mean to snoop, but seein’ that emblem on your girl and your uniform, I can’t help but think you’re part of that new Glaive I’ve been hearin’ about.”

Normally that question would bother Crowe, since a lot of Lucians weren’t exactly kind to the Kingsglaive, but she could tell by Cindy’s friendly smile that she was simply curious and not like that at all.  “I am,” she confirmed, running another hand through her sweaty hair with a grimace.  “Unfortunately, while this uniform is great for battle it’s pretty shitty in the desert.”

Cindy chuckled at her response.  “Right you are there,” she agreed.  “How about you go get yourself a drink over yonder at Takka’s and let me take care of your girl, free of charge.”

Crowe was about to protest, but Cindy cut her off.  “You Glaive have been doin’ a lot for Lucis as of late and I know we don’t always properly ‘preciate you for your efforts.  Plus, all she really needs is a bit of a cleaning and she’ll be good as new.” 

Cindy’s easygoing smile convinced Crowe, although she wasn’t going down without a fight.  “If you let me treat you to lunch, then I think I can agree to that,” she said with a light smirk, and Cindy’s eyes twinkled.

“I think I can agree to that,” she said with a wink, before shooing Crowe off to the air conditioning and wheeling her bike back to the garage to get to work.

It didn’t take Cindy too long to get Crowe’s bike up and running again, and she soon joined the young woman at the bar of Takka’s dinner just as Crowe had finished her drink.  “She’s as good as new – you won’t have any trouble getting her back to the Crown City,” Cindy grinned before Takka handed her a drink, already knowing what she liked.  She then ordered for both of them, having an idea of what Crowe would like and knowing what food was best on Takka’s menu.

Crowe liked Cindy’s easygoing confidence and friendly nature, and they soon fell into an easy conversation.  It was nice talking to a woman for a change, since back with the Glaive Crowe was usually surrounded by men.  She loved her adopted family, but being around mostly men all the time could get tiring, even if she had no trouble fitting in.  By the end of their meal they had exchanged numbers, really turning into friends, even if Cindy admitted she was usually pretty busy and wouldn’t be able to text much during the day.  “I’m busy too, so that’s fine by me,” Crowe grinned.  “But it’ll be nice to have someone to vent to when the boys are being particularly idiotic.”

“I’d sure like that.  The stories I’ll tell you about some of the folks that pass through here,” Cindy shook her head, and Crowe laughed.  She then waved, a bit sad to finally go, but knew that Nyx and Libertus were probably anxious that she was taking longer than usual to return back from her job.  Cindy tipped her hat as a farewell before heading back to the garage, having more work to do before the sun began to go down.  Crowe gave her one last smile before kicking her bike on, smiling at the roar of the engine that seemed to purr even smoother than it used to, before heading back to Insomnia. 


	7. Insomnia

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Day 7 of Ladies Week - Only one more day to go :D The prompts are: Iris struggles with PTSD and nightmares after escaping Insomnia. Character focus; Gentiana, Coctura, and Stella. 
> 
> I choose to write about Iris having nightmares with Monica talking her through them.

Iris woke up with a gasp, immediately sitting up and panting as she willed her racing heart to calm down.  She felt cold and clammy, and yet overheated at the same time as she kicked off her covers and realized she was covered in sweat.  This wasn’t the first time she had woken up to nightmares, and she was sure it wouldn’t be the last.  She remained quiet, however, for she and Talcott shared a room since Cape Caem only had so much space.  She didn’t want to wake the poor boy and upset him, since he had enough to deal with and had his own nightmares and grief after losing his grandfather.

Iris took a few more calming breaths before quietly slipping out of bed and heading downstairs to the kitchen to pour herself some water.  By now she knew all the creaks of the house and carefully stepped around them, not wanting to wake Cor or Monica who both happened to be there for a change instead of off gathering intel or taking care of something in the background for Noctis and his friends.  Iris felt a pang in her heart as she thought of her brother, who she missed dearly.  Gladio used to always be around when she felt upset, soothing her worries away with his warm, brotherly hug, and letting her spill all of her concerns without judgement.  He cared deeply about her, and she was worried about him and the others with how dangerous she knew it was for them out there. 

She knew from her brief period traveling with them the sort of dangers they experienced out on the road, and she constantly prayed for their safety.  Her amazing big brother, thoughtful and caring Ignis, cheerful and friendly Prompto, and…  Iris looked down with a sigh, a small blush on her cheeks as she reached the bottom floor.  Handsome and stunning Noctis with his heavy burden and surprisingly big heart that he hid behind an indifferent exterior.  She knew her childhood crush on him was silly and didn’t expect that he would ever see her as more than a little sister, but she couldn’t help how he made her feel. 

She quietly made her way into the kitchen, pulling down a glass and filling it up in the sink before leaning against the counter.  Her thoughts drifted back to her nightmare, and she wished that this one would fade away when she woke up as her dreams often did.  Instead, she could remember the confusing sequences with clarity, as they merged the events she had experienced escaping Insomnia during the attack with things she had experienced on the road or heard about from others.  She had been running as the sound of gunfire erupted in the distance mixed with the terrified screams of people as they were attacked and also tried to run away.  Behind her the Amicitia household – her family home, was burning and she could hear the sound of things being broken inside as troops searched for her family.  Jared had just enough forewarning to get her and Talcott out before they could get captured, although in reality they had escaped in a vehicle and drove through the madness as opposed to on foot like in her dream.

The dream had then changed to seeing her father’s murder, although she of course had not been there to witness it.  She had heard enough accounts to picture what must have happened, however, and tears sprang to her eyes as she relived the nightmare now.  She missed her father dearly, and it was like she had an unending emptiness in her chest now that he was gone.  It was while she was sniffling and holding back tears that she was surprised by a friendly hand on her shoulder and blinked up to see Monica’s warm smile.  “Couldn’t sleep?” she asked gently, as she moved her hand away now that she had captured Iris’s attention.

Iris shook her head before rubbing at her eyes self-consciously.  She hadn’t wanted to see anyone see her cry.  She wanted to prove that she was strong like the family name she represented, and she hated that Monica caught her in a moment of weakness.  The older woman seemed to pick up on it, and she gave her time to compose herself.  “Let’s step out onto the porch,” Monica suggested, understanding Iris’s need to be discrete.  She had a feeling Cor had also woken up like she had but had decided not to come down once he realized Monica had stirred.  Both of them were light sleepers after years serving the royal family in the Crownsguard. 

Iris nodded gratefully before they both stepped out onto the porch area, protected from the daemons scurrying about outside by the anti-daemon lights they had installed when moving in.  Iris sat down on the steps while Monica leaned against the railing and looked out at the dark landscape past the lights.  “Care to tell me about it?” she finally asked, once it seemed apparent the normally talkative girl wouldn’t start.

Iris took in a sharp breath before sighing and looking down.  “I just had another stupid nightmare,” she confessed.

Monica, who suspected as much, moved over to sit next to her.  She rested her arms on her knees before saying calmly, “Iris, it’s perfectly normal to have nightmares after what you went through.  The truth of the matter is we all do.”

Iris looked up at Monica and blinked.  “Even Cor?” she blurted out, and Monica chuckled at that. 

“Especially Cor.  He’s seen more than most of us after all,” she confessed.  “Even though it’s highly unlikely he’d ever admit to it.  I do as well.  And I’m sure your brother and the others have too.”

Iris’s eyebrows furrowed at that and she looked out at the yard thoughtfully.  “You think Gladdy really has nightmares?” she asked hesitantly.

“I’m sure he does.  He also lost his father and home.  And I’m sure he was worried sick about you.  And the boys have seen some disturbing things of their own at this point,” Monica mused.  “Your brother is under a lot of pressure to protect his king as well.  It’s enough to give anyone nightmares.”

Iris let out a breath.  “You’re probably right.  I wish I could do something for him – for all of them.”

Monica smiled sadly before gently patting Iris on the head.  “We all do,” she admitted.  “But, you have a very important job already.”

“What’s that?” Iris asked curiously.

“Cheering them up through your texts and phone calls.  I know it always brings them a morale boost and gives your brother peace of mind knowing you’re safe,” Monica replied, and Iris smiled at her.

“Yeah, I can definitely do that,” she agreed.  “Thanks, Monica.”

They both shared a smile, before Monica headed into the kitchen to heat Iris up some hot chocolate to soothe her before she went back to bed.  They chatted quietly while Iris sipped at her drink, before the young girl thanked her and silently made her way back upstairs.  Monica rinsed out her cup and let out a small sigh, leaning back against the kitchen counter.  It was sad that kids like Iris and Talcott had to experience such real nightmares now, and she hated all of the trauma they had been through.  ‘And it’s not over yet either,’ she thought, thinking of all the things her young king and his crownsguard had yet to go through.  She would ensure to support them as best as she could in the days ahead, and prayed to the Astrals that it would be enough.


	8. Research

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> My final prompt for Ladies Week! It was a free choice day so I choose to write about Sania because she's awesome ^^

Sania knew that science was going to help them solve some of the mysteries surrounding the daemons.  She had several hypotheses, all centered around the accelerated mutations she had been noticing in the wildlife around Eos.  Even though times were dangerous with tensions about to snap between Lucis and Niflheim, it did not stop Sania from her research because she knew how important it was.  Daemons were a danger to everyone, and if she could solve some of the mysteries surrounding them through biology, the area of science she knew best, it would be a step in the right direction for everyone.

So, even as Insomnia fell and Lucis was taken over by Niflheim, she continued her research, bravely traveling from one stop to another and using hunters to collect samples from beasts that were too dangerous to approach.  She even began to utilize the Lucian King and his Crownsguard, even though she didn’t recognize them due to being too focused on her work.  She hadn’t looked at a newspaper in years and so wasn’t aware of what the new king looked like, and it honestly wasn’t her first priority since she had a more important calling at hand.

She had just wrapped up her research from the day at Meldacio Hunter HQ when she was surprised by the return of said king, carrying the rainbow frogs she had been looking for.  She was simply delighted by their arrival, for they were integral in her research due to their mutation, and she knew they would help provide some answers for her.  She excitedly launched into an explanation as such to Noctis, who quickly began to get a familiar glassy eyed look most people got when she shared her passion.  However, when she asked him for further help, he gently cut her off and explained he had royal business to take care of, something that caused her confusion and to wish him luck in his next play, assuming he may be part of the royal theatre.  It seemed strange they would still be performing with Insomnia overthrown, but who was she to judge?

His tall companion who often chatted with her about his shared love for the wildlife snorted at that, while Noctis also appeared confused before shaking his head and walking away.  Sania barely had time to notice, for she immediately began planning what research and experiments she would perform now that she had the frogs with her.  She just knew they were the key to her hypothesis, and she got straight to work the very next day setting up her tests and getting ready to study them.  Shortly after the attack on Altissia, Sania was able to discover the cause of the rapid mutation in the frogs – a plasmodium that existed in the soil and mirrored that of the starscourge that also infected humans.  She soon found links to the plasmodium in other fauna, and now had a strong working thesis to research. 

Shortly before the world was plunged into darkness, Sania had finally proven her theory and published her article, information that would prove crucial to humanity’s survival in the coming years of darkness.  Because of her research, other survivors knew how to keep wildlife free from contracting the starscourge or gaining harmful mutations, so they could carefully breed them and keep them alive for sustenance or for the future.  Sania had moved onto her next research project, a nidus that she had discovered and hypothesized was the point of origin for daemons to spawn, when she finally stumbled across an old newspaper article that discussed the disappearance of the king and showed a picture of him and his companions.

Sania paused, actually taking the time to sit down and read it, for she had been wondering how those four brave actors had been doing.  ‘So he was a Lucis Caelum,’ she realized, saying a soft prayer to the Astrals for his safe return.  She had liked the young man and his friends, for they had gamely gone along with her requests, even though a lot of the other hunters would laugh at her or refuse. 

She now felt a sense of pride in her missing king, for while she had always respected Regis who treated scientists with respect, she hadn’t known much about his son and so hadn’t formed any opinions. She knew that he would one day return and fulfill his destiny, for he had seemed kind and often helped out her and others who had requests for him, regardless of his lineage.  She hoped when he did, he would appreciate the fact she had dedicated her research paper to him and his companions, only now realizing why that had created such a stir in the scientific community.  ‘Sometimes one can really be too blind to see what’s in front of them,’ she chuckled, before cutting out the article and carefully packing it with her research notes.  She wanted to keep it with her to remember those young men who helped her now that she knew who they were and would be able to better keep up with them as a result.  She hoped to see them again.  But for now, she would continue to focus on her research, using her skills to do her best to help in the ongoing darkness.


End file.
